Here’s a look at what’s happening at two southwest wineries around Fennville that are popular tasting-room destinations: Modales Winery and Fenn Valley Vineyards.
Modales Winery
“We want people to say, ‘This is good wine,’ not ‘This is good wine — for Michigan,’ ” says Andrew Backlin, winemaker at Modales Winery in Fennville. That goal drives Backlin, and owners Jim and Carol Gonzalez, to create exceptional wines.
The winery’s foremost project is to grow 100-percent organic grapes. The change is a three-year process, and Backlin says they’re currently in year three.
This shift reflects what Backlin says is best described as the soul of the winery. While he notes that local academia said an entirely organic vineyard is “not really viable,” Modales Winery went all in. Why? Backlin says the focus was changed to maintain the health and vitality of the land and the grapes grown there.
While the move to organic growing is new, sustainability was already a focus at the winery, with all grape skins and stems composted on-site. A geothermal facility was recently built on the property, and going solar-powered is in the future.
This natural approach is also part of the establishment’s wine-making philosophy. Describing the wines as “low intervention wines,” Backlin explains that “almost 90 percent of our production is naturally fermented; there’s no yeast added. We maintain the biology. It’s unique to us. We don’t add sulfites at the beginning of the crush; whatever is on the grapes is on the grapes. No one else is going to have that same balance of microbes.”
Red wines are a favorite at Modales, but the winery also is known for exceptional white wines, sparkling wines, and hard ciders.
The welcoming vibe of the 16-acre vineyard (there’s an additional 24 acres down the road) draws up to 800 visitors on summer weekends, when the tasting room and a 3,500-square-foot patio are popular spots for enjoying wine. Tours are a favorite activity, along with scheduled events including a Nouveau Beaujolais experience each November.
Fenn Valley Vineyards
With its slogan “The Lake Effect Everybody Loves,” Fenn Valley Vineyards acknowledges the influence of nearby Lake Michigan on the wines it creates. The climate and environment of the southwest region, so close to the shores of “the Big Lake,” significantly contribute to the quality of the wines made there and the health of the delicate vines.
The drive to the Fennville winery takes visitors along country roads flanked by maple trees and sumac, and past an occasional 19th century farmhouse. The energy at Fenn Valley’s tasting room is both charming and vibrant, with arches opening to spacious rooms with ceilings lined by twinkle lights, where visitors enjoy Fenn Valley wines.
The richness of the tasting room’s ambience is enhanced with items such as an antique wine press, old wine barrels, and a metal sculpture of grapes that’s several feet tall. The laid-back, lakeshore feel is agri-tourism at its finest.
The 240-acre, family-owned Fenn Valley estate has been a vital part of the southwest Michigan lakeshore community for more than 50 years; its first grapevines were planted in 1974.
Makers of several award-winning wines, the vineyard offers unique selections such as Capriccio, a dry red blend that’s unoaked, and Sonata, a white blend. Those who imbibe are likely to notice what Brian Lesperance, winery vice president, attributes to the excellence of its wines: a great microclimate and keeping quality fruit at the core of winemaking.
“We’re very fruit-driven,” Lesperance says. “We tend to be light-handed in the cellar, to get wines with the essence of the fruits they’re made of. Even on Bordeaux-style reds, the oak will be there, but it won’t be the center; the fruit will be the center of the experience.”
Fenn Valley is wine-proud, and it has reason to be. Bottles of wine strung with awards adorn walls stocked with bottles for purchase, among them the popular 42 Ice Wine. Described as “dessert by itself,” the ice wine boasts five-star reviews across wine and tourist websites. So favored are Fenn Valley wines, in fact, that Lesperance says the winery is now shipping more wine to consumers than ever before.
Fruit-based hard ciders, with apple and cherry among the options, also are available.
Since joining the team in 2012, Lesperance has noticed trends in wines and in those who are drinking them. He says observing these trends and growing with the times keeps Fenn Valley among the most popular Michigan wines.
One such trend is the result of the shift of wine-drinkers, with the baby boomer generation waning and younger generations approaching wine differently. “The younger generation of wine-drinkers is less interested in what’s on trend,” he says. “They’re scoping out grapes native to the area or different in some way. They’re open to trying new things and looking for unique experiences as opposed to on-trend experiences.”
Plan It!
Modales Winery
modaleswines.com
Fenn Valley Vineyards
fennvalley.com
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